The Tragic Story Behind Elton John's 'Candle in the Wind 1997'

The song commemorates a couple of tragedies in particular, as well as our general fixation on fame.

By Michael Hein

Elton John's iconic pop song "Candle in the Wind" is inextricably linked to a couple of real-life tragedies, though there is a lot to the story that fans may not realize. It was first dedicated to Marilyn Monroe, and later to Princess Diana at the time of her death. Read on for a look back at how the song was created – and reinvented – and its legacy built over the last half-century.

"Candle in the Wind" was first written in 1973 and released on the album Goodbye Yellow Brick Road. John co-wrote it with his frequent collaborator Bernie Taupin, intending to honor actress and model Marilyn Monroe, who had passed away in 1962. It was re-released in 1974 as a single – the B-side to John's song "Bennie and the Jets." In an interview with Mojo Magazine, Taupin said the seeds of the song were planted when he heard producer Clive Davis describe Janis Joplin as a "candle in the wind."

"I just kept hearing this term. I thought, what a great way of describing someone's life," he explained. "In a way, I'm fascinated with that concept. So, [this song is] really about how fame affects the man or woman in the street, that whole adulation thing and the fanaticism of fandom. It's pretty freaky how people really believe these people are somehow different from us. It's a theme that's figured prominently in a lot of our songs, and I think it'll probably continue to do so."

It's worth noting that Princess Diana was not the first person John re-dedicated this song to. In 1990, he played the song at Farm Aid IV and dedicated it to Ryan White – an American teenager who made headlines for being ostracized after he was diagnosed with AIDS. White passed away the day after the concert, and John attended his funeral to play the song "Skyline Pidgeon."

The more famous re-dedication – and arguably, the most famous version of the song – came in 1997 with the passing of Princess Diana. John re-recorded "Candle in the Wind" with new lyrics, and some venues even listed it with the new title "Goodbye England's Rose." This song peaked at number 1 on the U.K. charts, and several other countries as well. According to Guinness World Records, it is the second-best selling-single of all time.

The lyrical changes between the two versions are very direct and not too drastic. The original song opens with: "Goodbye Norma Jean / Though I never knew you at all," while the 1997 version begins: "Goodbye, England's Rose / May you ever grow in our hearts." Some lines are changed to be more personal for the late princess, or because they were too personal for Monroe.

The iconic chorus even got two changes – while the original goes: "And I would've like to know you / But I was just a kid / Your candle burned out long before / Your legend ever did," the re-write goes: "And your footsteps will always fall here / Along England's greenest hills / Your candle burned out long before / Your legend ever will."

As beloved as this re-write is, a few critics over the years have questioned the choice to repurpose a tribute to one public figure for another. Both John and Taupin have answered that critique. In the documentary Classic Albums, Taupin said that the song is really about "the idea of fame or youth or somebody being cut short in the prime of their life. The song could have been about James Dean, it could have been about Montgomery Clift, it could have been about Jim Morrison... how we glamorize death, how we immortalize people." He also disputed the presumption that he was a die-hard fan of Monroe, saying that wasn't really true, and that she was just a powerful symbol of the idea he was expressing.

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Meanwhile, John answered the critics who felt uneasy comparing Princess Diana to Monroe, who was often described as "a sex symbol" in popular culture. In 2014, John told the BBC: "I tried to make it a song that told you the reason [Monroe] was so popular, [and] that she was very much somebody people could fall in love with without her being out of reach. I really don't think people thought of her as a sex symbol."

Today, "Candle in the Wind" is a staple at memorials and tribute events. For most people it is strongly associated with Princess Diana, but it has been ascribed to other public figures as well. The song is streaming now on most major music apps.

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